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Why do we still teach Children Long Division when we'll never use it in life? Whats the point of all that stress vs a few strokes of a calculator?

Chill2Macht
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Dino Kurbegovic
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    I use it. I can't say about others. But the "why do we need to know X" isn't going to fly very far in this community. How about when you get to polynomial division? If you don't know the long division algorithm for real numbers, that is going to look pretty alien. – Doug M Jul 19 '16 at 01:37
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    What do you mean by "we will never use it in life" How does your life look like? – imranfat Jul 19 '16 at 01:38
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    There has been an adjustment in how the material is taught. Much less time is spent on it, there is no longer the endless drilling to produce speed and accuracy. – André Nicolas Jul 19 '16 at 01:41
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    Counter question: How do you think calculators know how to divide? –  Jul 19 '16 at 01:47
  • @DougM You are right (+1) But in spite of the downvotes for the OP, do you realize how many people actually ask me questions like the use of arithmetic operations (let alone mathematics...blehhh) and why we should learn any of this stuff? Usually our subject is put in a bad light. So we have a duty to change their minds (and hearts) for our subject! – imranfat Jul 19 '16 at 01:54
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    This question would be a good one to ask on Maths educators SE. Doubtless you will need the division algorithm or something like it if you study mathematics or any field that relies thereon heavily. So it definitely has its uses for at least some people. I'd like to see a discussion of at what age this is appropriate (assuming the child doesn't have a natural mathematical curiousity and can therefore guide teachers as to when it is appropriate) and how the material should be taught at that age. Certainly teaching as though the child will need LD every day of their lives is now pointless. – Selene Routley Jul 19 '16 at 02:07

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My dear Dino, here is a story for you how arithmetic helps me. Me and my family go to the store often. Wife sees a purse. Usually, I think it is way too much money and she has enough purses anyway. Store always have discounts that go like "take an extra 25% off of the already reduced ticketed price" and then "take an extra 15% off if you pay with the store's credit card" Wife married a mathematician which is ME and so she always asks me the final sale price because that's why I have to shop with her. If I like the purse, I tell the right price, but most of the time (after figuring out the right price) I tell her a higher price so that she puts it back. She wouldn't know anyway, she does not know much division. Relief on my side. She goes "If I had not married a math person, what would I do?" And I just nod. (hmmmm) And I thank my arithmetic and yes....that includes long division.

imranfat
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